How to Tie Chair Ties

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Slipcovering folding chairs or plain dining chairs gives them a festive and more formal air, perfect for parties or even weddings. But even if you don’t have the time or resources to slipcover your chairs, simply tying fabric bows around the chair backs takes a plain chair from frumpy to fabulous.

Flip Knot

The flip knot is the simplest and quickest tie for chair sashes. Stand behind the chair. Center the sash in front of the chair’s back. Pull the ends of the sash so that it is snug against the front of the chair. Tie the sash in a simple shoelace knot. Pull the front sash end down and the rear one straight up when you pull the knot tight. Let the rear end of the sash flop down over the knot. Smooth it out with your hands so that it drapes flat, covering the knot. Secure it with a safety pin placed behind the sash ties so that it doesn’t poke through the outermost layer of fabric if you like.

One-Loop Bow

One loop bows are very classic and tailored. Place the sash flat against the front of the chair, and tie a basic shoelace knot. Make a loop with the right end of the sash. Wind the left end of the sash around the loop and push it through the knot. Pull the end through, leaving you with one bow loop with two sash ends hanging below it. Straighten out the loop, tugging on it gently until the sash ends are the same length.

Classic Bow

Few things are as simple or charming as a perfect bow, and there’s a simple trick to making sure they come out right every time. Center the sash along the front of the chair and tie a simple right-over-left shoelace knot. Make a loop with the right end of the tie and fold it back across the knot so that the loop is toward the left, and the free end is in front of it toward the right. Finish the bow by bringing the left end of the sash down in front of the loop and then pulling its loop up behind and through like you’d normally tie a bow. Pull the bow tight, and fluff out the loops. They should be even and level, with ends of the same length.

Rosette

Rosettes are very elegant and neat, as well as much easier to make than they look. Tie the sash in a simple shoelace knot behind the chair. Twist both ends of the sash tightly together until you only have 2 to 4 inches of untwisted ends left. Wind the twisted ends around the knot, keeping them flat against the chair back and making circular rows like a cinnamon bun. Poke the loose ends through the rows in two different places. Arrange them to resemble the leaves on a rose.

Embellished Bows

No matter how you tie your sashes, you can easily incorporate fresh or dried flowers, feathers, sprays of willow catkins and baby’s breath or even sparkling hat pins or other ornaments. Use tulle or netting to make your sash ties, and spritz them with glitter spray for an ethereal effect that is stunning by candlelight.

About the Author

Emmy-award nominated screenwriter Brynne Chandler is a single mother of three who divides her time between professional research and varied cooking, fitness and home & gardening enterprises. A running enthusiast who regularly participates in San Francisco's Bay to Breakers run, Chandler works as an independent caterer, preparing healthy, nutritious meals for Phoenix area residents.